by Matt Robinson | Apr 17, 2013 | General, Lessons, Motivation, Triumphs
Losing weight is all in your head.
I’ve read a lot of articles and watched many videos about how to lose weight. I’ve tried almost every type of diet from Atkins and Weight Watchers to eating massive quantities of cabbage soup and rice cakes. I’ve tried counting calories. I’ve tried NOT counting calories. Each approach has had it’s merits, but of those attempts ended in failure for me.
Then it clicked.
It was all in my head.
I looked at my state of mind before each attempt and tried to isolate that feeling; that motivation to keep myself going. I also had to look at what ultimately led me to failure. My conclusion was simple: losing weight began and ended in my mind.
“The man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can’t are both right!”
Henry Ford
It’s easy for someone to say they’ve ‘figured out’ how to do something but more often than not, what the person has discovered is something that has worked ‘for THEM‘. All of the methods I’ve mentioned have their pros and cons. You can take something from each one of them. And keep in mind that there are some very sound principles to learn that will help you lose weight. (I’ll share these in future posts!)
But at the end of the day, losing weight is formed and determined in your mind FIRST! You have to DECIDE that you want to change. You MUST discover your reason WHY – without it, getting through the difficulties that WILL come is going to seem impossible. I say seem because nothing is really impossible if you put your mind to it.
You may have heard about the following story. Before 1954 if you had asked anyone if it was possible for a human to run one mile in less than four minutes you would have been laughed at! In fact, there was ‘scientific evidence‘ that the human body could never handle that kind strain.
That is, until Roger Bannister broke the four minute barrier on May 6th 1954. It took all of recorded history for someone to break this barrier – and 2 months later, it was broken again. Today, it has been broken THOUSANDS of times. What was once considered impossible, became possible because of people who refused to limit themselves.
That may seem like an extreme example, but the principle remains. If you want to lose weight, you must first decide that you CAN do it. If you firmly believe this, your body will become a servant to your mind and the transformation WILL take place.
For the past three days I’ve been fighting the worst ear ache I’ve ever had. I’ve been to the doctor and been told to ‘tough’ it out. In the past this advice would have had me stopping my weight loss efforts until I’m better.
But not this time! This time I’ve decided that I CAN continue even through the pain. I CAN still exercise. I CAN eat better. I CAN drink more water. This little battle has been waged and WON in my mind…and my body has followed along!
You don’t need designer clothes, designer programs, designer gyms or designer foods to change your body. You simply need to design your thinking to adapt to whatever you face.
Take it one day at a time. One hour at a time. One MOMENT at a time and decide for yourself that THIS WILL HAPPEN. Your body will follow along!
I’d love for you to get connected with those of us challenging ourselves to live better. Why not Join the 100lb Challenge? Decide in your mind and then work with those of us who are doing the same. Together we can build a strong, solid, life-long foundation of health and success!
photo credit: xopherlance via photopin cc
by Matt Robinson | Apr 13, 2013 | General, Lessons, Motivation
We are social creatures. I believe that in order to do anything great, you have to do it with others. The pyramids, Rome, the International Space Station – all great achievements that required lot’s of hard work by many people. Great things are only accomplished when people work together. Ever tried building a skyscraper by yourself? I didn’t think so.
But when it comes to transforming our bodies, we often try to go it alone. Every single time I’ve tried to build or transform my body on my own, It’s always ended in failure. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made the attempt with lots of people AROUND me and still failed. The key isn’t in having lots of people – it’s in having the RIGHT people around you who will help you succeed. People who will keep you accountable to your goals!
This accountability person (or people) will have 3 basic characteristics. (Yes of course there’s more, but for today we’ll stick with three!)
First, they’ll accept you as you are right now! What I mean by this, is that these people will care about you for you…not your size, not your shape, not even your health…they’ll simply care about you!
Second, they’ll be honest with you! There’s nothing worse than someone claiming to be your friend and lying to you about what you already know to be true. The right person will tell you the truth BECAUSE they care about you as you are!
And third, the right person will push you in a way that you need to be pushed. Not everyone can take military style discipline! Some people don’t respond to being shamed, humiliated and berated to get a result. Amazingly, some do respond to that – but I think those people are the exception and not the rule.
So where can you find the right person to help with your transformation?
Friends and Co-workers
These are the people you’re probably around the most. I’ve found that finding people from this category can be easy because they’re the most constant in your life. Be warned though – these bridges can be burnt. I’m at the point where I don’t tell too many people I work with anymore simply because I haven’t followed through in the past. But for most people – this is a great place to look for someone to keep you accountable.
Family
I think most people would look to family first because, hey, they HAVE to love you right!? Sadly enough not everyone has the best support from home. To add to it, your spouse or significant other many not want to be the ‘bad cop’ when it comes to your eating and exercising behaviours. Support from family is CRUCIAL – but I’m not convinced it’s the best place to get a dedicated accountability person for your transformation. Maybe I’m wrong – if I am, leave a comment!
Online Resources
Online help is quickly becoming the fastest form of accountability for many people simply because, even if those closest to you don’t believe you can transform your body, there are seven billion other people on the planet! SOMEONE is willing to keep you accountable, and may even find themselves facing similar situations that you do! Years ago I joined the Biggest Loser Club online and met two people (Deb and Mike) who to this day still offer support. They each live thousands of miles away from me, but I know I can count on their encouragement! It’s amazing how small the world has become.
Here are some online resources to help you get started. I’d love to hear of any others that you have tried. You can post them in the comments below!
Facebook – Posting an update on your progress is getting more simple to do all the time! I’ve started doing this and just by ‘putting myself out there’ I find a greater push to be responsible with what I’m eating and how I’m living.
Youtube – I’ve just started posting update videos and getting into the Youtube community. It looks promising but I’ll have to let you know how it goes. I’ve only been serious about commenting and posting videos for the past couple of weeks!
Blogging – Like you’re reading here, blogging is a great way to share with people your struggles and your victories. Your own online magazine for people to browse and comment on. Just don’t be upset when the negative comments come…they WILL come. You’ll have to use them as an opportunity to grow!
MyFitnessPal – Probably the BEST website for tracking food and exercise! Plus there are a TON of people you can connect with and share your journey with. It only works if you’re honest about what you’re eating – but if you are, it’ll help keep your diet on point! Add me if you like, and you can see what I’m eating! (mattrob991)
ShapeFit – Another great website for motivation. The success stories are unreal – but mostly the same. These are people who decided to eat less, move more and work hard!
photo credit: bibendum84 via photopin cc
by Matt Robinson | Apr 11, 2013 | Inspiration
Watching videos like this one helps keep me motivated! What the transformation that can happen in this man’s life and then try and make excuses…not possible!
[youtube width=”635″ height=”357″]http://youtu.be/qX9FSZJu448[/youtube]
by Matt Robinson | Jul 6, 2011 | General, Lessons, Older Posts
Today was day 6 in my transformation. Yesterday I started doing some bodyweight exercises (squats, pushups and crunches) and today I am SORE. I’m not looking forward to tomorrow because of DOMS. DOMS simply means Delayed Onset Muscles Soreness and usually sets in at its worst 48 hours after exercise. Not everybody experiences DOMS but I tend to be in the unlucky category of people who do. This means that I have to have a strategy to overcome the pain.
Pushing Through. This seems simplistic, but one strategy I have is to push through the pain and just keep going. It’s difficult because even sitting and getting up from sitting is very difficult. But this is a part of growth…pushing through the pain.
Taking Drugs. Another option is to take Advil or Ibuprophen. I don’t like to do this because I don’t want to be dependant on drugs to be well. I’d rather just stretch and work out the soreness.
Visualization. Again, I keep coming back to visualization as a method to push through an obstacle. It’s probably because I’ve just discovered the scientific research on visualization but I really like the possibilities it offers. Take the pain, see the end result and overcome! Sounds like a recipe for success!
photo credit: zubrow via photopin cc
by Matt Robinson | Jul 5, 2011 | General, Lessons, Older Posts, Preparation
There has been a lot of things changing around me in the past little while. Not just with losing weight but life in general. Things seem to be getting ‘faster’ which is a good thing! In the midst of it I’m taking on this life change to be a healthier, more fit person. In the past it’s been difficult for me to stay motivated so I’ve come up with a few things that are helping me stick with it this time. These key motivators aren’t new by any stretch of the imagination. But keeping these 3 things in front of me each day are helping me re-shape my life.
Visualize what you want to look like when you reach your goal.
I’ve been doing a LOT of reading on the subject of visualization and imagination. I’m naturally a ‘dreamer’ which means getting a picture in my head of something I want isn’t difficult for me. You may have to work at it, but pictures just pop in my head! But using those pictures and images are a different story.
I use to think that what I saw in my mind was just fanciful thinking; when in reality the pictures I see can really help speed up weight loss. In particular I was reading an excerpt from a book by Maxwell Maltz who is the author of PSCYHO CYBERNETICS. Maltz is a plastic surgeon and expert on self image psychology. In a nutshell, he has found that our brains can’t distinguish between what is real or what is imagined. This means that if I hold an image of myself in my mind, my brain begins thinking that’s what I’m supposed to do! Athletes have been using visualization for decades, but the impact this could have on your weight-loss success is huge! (pardon the pun!) Currently, I’m picturing what I’ll look like when I lose my weight, but I’m also visualizing the activities I’ll be doing – the emotions I’ll feel – the sense of accomplishment – and by doing this, my brain can’t tell that it’s not real…it just begins directing the body to that end!
To be honest, this is all new for me. But I’m convinced that a powerful tool like visualization will help me (and you!) stay motivated to lose the weight.
Recall the reason ‘why’
The second key is, the reason why. Why do I want to lose weight. I can guarantee that there are more than a couple reasons for every person to be fit and healthy. The obvious ones are physical, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually we all have reasons for getting to a healthy weight and being as fit as we can!
I look at my family and see three girls I have to walk down the aisle. I see a wife that deserves a husband that is strong and able to help her feel secure. I see a family that wants the best for me and I see colleagues who will benefit from me being in the best shape of my life. I see many, many things! My reasons why are very long. Make a list, review regularly and continue to push towards why you want to drop the weight.
Pushing past your comfort zone.
Comfort zones kill people. As a creative person, If I continually stay in a place of comfort, I never end up realizing what ‘could’ be. I’m not the most curious person in the world, but at the end of my life I want to know that I achieved everything possible for me, with every opportunity I’m given. Not everyone wants to be aggressive with their life goals, but I think everyone should be looking to push out of their comfort zones.
Research tells us that the body is VERY adaptive. Workout routines can reach plateaus within a month. Pressure put on the body can be accommodated. This means that to really succeed with my weight loss goals I’ll need to be pushing myself out of comfort zones as long as I can. This may mean more intensity in my workouts, less or different foods at different times or it could just mean altering the time I work out so I can always keep my body guessing.
I don’t mind being comfortable for a time, but I know that I’m only there to rest. And then I’ll need to move on.
